For use by scientists to log boreholes drilled in the ocean floor, LDEO’s new magnetometer tool will provide continuous downhole records of the magnetization of the geologic formation surrounding the borehole. Using a new downhole digital architecture that maximizes performance, the instrument will have the capability to work in both strongly magnetized hard rock formations and in sediments with weaker magnetizations. It will also measure the orientation of both the borehole and the tool within it. The completed MMM will measure the borehole field on three axes allowing calculation of the full formation magnetization vector: inclination, declination and total field intensity. According to LDEO scientists, the MMM tool is scheduled to sail on an International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) expedition in 2015.

Transcend's software runs on an internal Netburner MOD5234 single board computer, controls timing, collects data from each of four sensors, collates, formats, and transmits the data from the borehole to surface through a serial data interface. Transcend engineers developed the flexible multi-threaded embedded software in C++ using the NBEclipse development environment.Transcend Engineering develops innovations in sensing and instrumentation for geotechnical, oceanographic, atmospheric, transportation, and security uses. They are located in Bethel, Vermont.

Support provided by Vermont EPSCoR with funds from the National Science Foundation Grant EPS-1101317. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.